Manufacture of shoes



Sept. 29., 1936. O, 1 LAWSON MANUFACTURE OF SHOES Original Filed May 11, 1935 Patented Sept. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Shoe Machinery Company,

Paterson, N. J., a

corporation of New Jersey Original application Ma 670,525. Divided and this y 11, 1933, Serial No.

application August 31, 1934, Serial N0. 742,334

17 Claims.

This invention relates to shoes,

under lasting strain, it is fastened to the sole by a staple having its crossbar extending lengthwise of the edge of the sole and its legs driven through the upper and into the sole in curved paths leading away from each other substantialy in the general plane of the staple to anchor them. Preferably, as illustrated, Where the sole has a lip thereon, the fastening or staple is driven through the upper and into the base of the lip in a direction inclined toward the outer face of the sole so that the staple will be located, for to the apex of the sole and its legs extending toward the body portion of the sole without entirely penetrating through the lip. With the staples applied in this manner they serve to hold the margin of the upper flat upon the feather of the sole without any substantial relaxing of the lasting strain or any substantial tendency of the pull or strain of the lasted upper to distort the lip. In securing the upper to a shouldered sole, the fastenings driven and anchored in the body portion of the sole without entirely penetrating through the sole serve to resist any tendency of the angularly shaped margin of the upper to spring away from the margin or the shoulder of the sole well as to the manufacture of welt shoes having The channeled surface of the fastenings in the channel.

In addition to its ing and thereafter pointed out in The drawing illustrates the practice of the methcharacter.

In the drawing, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are views illustrating sucdriven into the shoe.

In the drawing Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, illustrate the side lasting of a shoe of the Goodyear welt type having an insole a provided with a lip or rib T and upper materials b hereinafter referred to inclusively as the upper. Prior to the side lasting operation, if the usual procedure is followed, the upper will have been pulled over and fastened at the toe by pulling over tacks. The opposite vsides of the shoe between the toe and heel-end portions are then lasted in the manner illustrated in different locations successively along the edge of the shoe bottom by subjecting the upper in each location to lasting strain and fastening its margin to the lip r of the insole. In the practice of the method by the aid of the instrumentalities shown in the drawing the shoe is presented and held by the operator in different positions for the lasting of the different portions of the upper Vwith the outer face of the insole and the inner face of the lip r close to the base of the lip, in engagement with a shoe rest IS (Fig. l). With the shoe thus positioned the upper is pulled by a gripper 'i 2 first in a direction heightwise of the last (Fig. 2) and then in a direction inwardly over the edge of the last bottom and over the outer face of the insole, as shown in Fig. 3. Thereafter the margin of the upper, while held yieldingly by the gripper, is shaped under lasting strain 'to conform substantially to the angle between the projecting margin or feather of the insole and the lip r by the action of overlaying and fastening means comprising a staple guiding nozzle It. The nozzle ifi is moved toward the shoe in a path inclined to the plane of the insole to press the marginal portion of the upper down upon the feather of the insole and to clamp it against the lip r and approximately at the time when the upper is clamped against the lip by the nozzle ii, the upper is released by the gripper. The upper is thus held in wiped-in position by the nozzle i4 (Fig. Ll) while a staple is driven to fasten the upper to the lip of the insole. In order to assist the operator in holding the shoe against lateral displacement during the overlaying operation there is provided a member i6, having pronged ends to penetrate the insole, which member is moved from a position above the shoe (Fig. l) substantially at the beginning of the movement of the staple nozzle toward the shoe, into engagement with the insole at a location near the shoe rest i0 (Fig. 2) as fully disclosed in the copending application.

As shown, particularly in Fig. '7, the ends of the legs of the staple are cut at relatively sharp angles to the line of drive of the staple and are bent or deected outwardly away from each other in the general plane of the staple which is driven by a driver i8 (Fig. l.) movable in a guideway in the staple nozzle lli, the staple legs as a whole being inclined inwardly toward each other. It will be observed that the staple nozzle ill forces the margin of the upper closely into the angle formed by the projecting margin or feather of the insole and the lip r and guides the staple in such a path that it is driven close to the base of the lip and at an angle to the outer face of the insole. As the staple is driven with its crossbar extending lengthwise of the edge of the insole its legs are engaged and bent or deflected somewhat farther toward each other by fingers it and 22 which are mounted in recesses in the staple nozzle i4, one at each side of the guideway, and the forward ends of which extend into the guideway. The fingers 2Q and 22 are pivotally connected to the nozzle i4 and are spring-urged in directions to hold their forward ends in engagement with a 'spacing member 24. The spacing member 2d is carried by a sliding bar 26 which is connected by an eccentric 28 to a shaft 3i) rotatably mounted in the nozzle. Rotation of the shaft 30 acts through the eccentric 2 to move the spacing member 24 toward or from the upper-engaging end of the nozzle lli to vary the distance between the ends of the fingers 2i) and 22. The fingers 2K3 and 22 by engagement with the ends of the staple legs act to bend or deflect them farther toward each other to determine the distance between the bent or defiected ends of the legs of the staple at the time when they enter the work and thus to determine the depth to which the staple is driven into the work. For example, if the stock into which the staple is to be driven be relatively thin, the legs of the staple will be deflected toward each other only a very small distance, but if the staple is to be driven into relatively thick stock the legs will be deflected toward each other to a substantially greater degree. This is because of thc fact that the nearer the bent or deflected ends of the staple legs are brought together the greater will be the angle between the ends of the legs and the surface of the work into which the staple is to be driven and accordingly the deeper the staple will be driven into the stock and, conversely, the greater the distance between the bent or deflected ends of the staples, the less distance the staples will penetrate into the work. As the staple is driven the ends of the staple legs strike the work at an angle and are deflected by the work in such directions that the staple legs are turned outwardly and follow curved paths leading away from each other and from the crossbar of the staple substantially in the general plane of the staple, the depth to which the staple is driven being preferably such that the ends of the legs of the staple return toward the outer face of the lip T without penetrating its inner face. It will be understood that in the driving operation the fmgers 2i! and 22 yield to permit the wider portion of the staple and the driver to pass. By reference to Figs. 4 and 5 it will be seen that the staple is driven into the base of the lip 1 with its crossbar located adjacent to the apex of the angle formed by the feather and the lip of the insole and with its legs extending toward the body portion of the insole and anchored in the lip by outward curvature thereof in opposite directions. With the staples driven and anchored in the manner herein disclosed not only will they maintain a firm hold on the upper, since their legs are anchored in a greater portion of the insole than if they were deflected inwardly toward each other, but outward deflection of the staple legs insures against interference between the legs no matter how far they are deiiected by the work.

It will be understood that these operations are performed in different locations as the shoe is moved by the operator into different positions in the progressive lasting of its opposite sides, the upper being fastened initially, yet permanently, in each lasting location without loss of tension between the upper-pulling and the fastening operations. It will be evident that when the staples are driven, as above described, with their legs curved outwardly away from each other in the lip r close to the body portion of the insole and with the crossbars of the staples located adjacent to the apex of the angle formed r by the feather and the lip r of the insole they serve to hold the margin of the upper flat upon the feather of the insole without any substantial relaxing of the lasting strain or any substantial tendency of the pull or strain of the lasted upper to distort the lip of the insole. As a result the upper will lie closely in the angle formed by the feather and lip of the insole at the time of the inseam-sewing operation, as is obviously desirable for best results in securing the welt and the upper materials to the insole. Moreover, by reason of the location of the staples both the inseam-sewing operation and the inse r11-trimming operation may be performed without interference between the staples and the needle of the sewing machine or interference between the staples and the knife of the trimming machine.

Fig. 6 illustrates, in a shoe of the type having a shouldered insole a provided with a channel located farther inwardly from the edge of the sole than the shoulder, the location of the staples driven and anchored in the body portion of the insole without penetrating through the insole, as shown in Fig. 8. It will be evident that when the staples are driven in directions inclined to the bottom of the last and toward the inside channel and anchored in the manner illustrated they will resist any tendency of the angularly shaped margin of the upper b` to spring away from the feather or from the shoulder s of the insole and, by reason of the absence of any portion or portions of the staples in the inside channel of the insole, the channel flap f will lie close to the insole thereby providing a flat bottom. Substantially the same advantages apply to the manufacture of turn shoes where the shoe is lasted with the upper wrong side out and then after being stitched is turned right side out. The channeled surface of the sole then becomes the inside tread surface which is relative- 1y smooth because of the absence of staples in the channel.

Having described the invention and set forth fully how the novel method may be practiced, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. That improvement in methods of lasting shoes, which consists in conforming an unlasted portion of an upper to the shape of a last and laying its margin over a sole on the last, and, while holding the upper in lasted position, fastening it initially, yet permanently, to the sole by a staple applied with its crossbar extending lengthwise of the edge of the sole and its legs anchored within the sole by curvature thereof in paths extending away from each other in the general plane of the staple without penetrating entirely through any part of the sole.

2. rhat improvement in methods of lasting shoes, which consists in pulling an upper over a last having a sole thereon, pressing the upper against the sole, and, while thus pressing the upper, fastening it to the sole by a staple applied with its crossbar extending lengthwise of the edge of the sole and its legs diverging from each other in curved paths located substantially in the general plane of the staple to anchor them without penetrating entirely through the sole.

3. That improvement in methods of lasting shoes, which consists in pulling an upper over a last having a sole thereon, pressing the upper against a lip on the sole, and then, while thus pressing the upper, fastening it to the sole by a staple having its crossbar extending lengthwise of the edge of the sole and its legs driven through the upper and into the lip in curved paths leading away from each other in directions lengthwise of the edge of the sole without entirely penetrating through the lip.

4. That improvement in methods of making shoes, which consists in pulling an upper over a last having a sole thereon, pressing the upper against the marginal portion of the sole and against a projection on the sole, and, while thus pressing the upper, fastening it to the sole by driving the legs of a staple through the upper and into the projection on the sole in paths curved outwardly away from each other to anchor them within the projection without penetrating entirely through said projection.

5. That improvement 1n methods of making shoes, which consists in a last and inwardly over a ing the upper against the margin of the sole and against a projection formed on the sole and, while thus pressing the upper fastening it to the sole by driving the legs of a staple through the upper and into the projection on the sole in paths diverging from each other to anchor them with the crossbar of the staple engaging the upper close to the angle formed by the projection and the margin of the sole.

6. That improvement in methods of lasting shoes, which consists in conforming an upper to the shape of a last having a sole thereon provided with a shoulder and an inside channel, and, while holding the upper in lasted position, fastening it to the shoulder on the sole by driving a fastening through the upper and into the shoulder in a direction inclined to the bottom of the last and toward said inside channel without penetrating through the sole or into the inside channel.

7. That improvement in methods of lasting shoes which consists in conforming an upper to driven through the upper and into the shoulder of the sole in a direction inclined to the bottom of the last and toward said inside channel and anchored in the body of the sole by deflection of its legs relatively to the crossbar without penetrating into the inside channel.

8. That improvement in methods of lasting the inside channel.

9. That improvement in methods of lasting shoes, which consists in pulling an upper over a last having a shouldered sole thereon provided with an inside channel, pressing the upper against the shoulder on the sole, and, while thus pressing the upper, fastening it to the shoulder by a staple driven in a direction inclined to the bottom of the last and having its crossbar eX- tending lengthwise of the edge of the sole and its legs extending through the upper and the outer face of said shoulder in paths curved outwardly away from each other to anchor them without penetrating into the inside channel.

10. That improvement in methods of making shoes, which consists in pulling an upper over a last and inwardly over a sole on the last, pressing the upper against the margin of the sole and against a lip formed on the sole and, while thus pressing the upper, fastening it to the lip by driving the legs of a staple through the upper and into the base of the lip transversely of the lip at an angle to the outer face of the sole and in paths curved in opposite directions to anchor them in the lip close to the body portion of the sole without penetrating entirely through the lip.

11. That improvement in methods of making shoes, which consists in pulling an upper over a last having a sole thereon provided with a. lip, pressing the marginal portion of the upper into the angle formed by the lip and the margin of the sole and, while thus pressing the upper, fastening it to the lip by driving the legs of a staple through the upper close to the apex of the angle formed by the lip and the margin of the sole and into the lower portion of said lip in paths diverging from each other to anchor them without penetrating through the lip.

12. A shoe having its upper fastened to a sole by staples extending through the upper and the outer face of a projection on the sole in directions inclined inwardly irom the margin oi the sole and with their legs curved outwardly away from each other to anchor them in the sole without entirely penetrating through the sole.

13. A shoe having its upper fastened to a sole by staples arranged with their crossbars extending lengthwise or the edge of the sole and located close to the apex of the angle formed by the margin of the sole and a lip on the sole, and with the legs of each staple extending through the upper and into the base or' the lip in diverging paths located in the general plane of the staple to anchor them in the lip without penetrating entirely through the lip.

14. A shoe having its upper fastened to a sole by staples arranged with their crossbars extending lengthwise of the edge of the sole and located close to the apex of the angle formed by the margin of the sole and a lip on the sole and with the legs of each staple extending through the upper and the outer face of the lip at an angle to the plane of the sole in paths curved outwardly away from each other to anchor them without penetrating entirely through the lip.

15. A shoe having its upper fastened to a shouldered sole having an inside channel by staples arranged with their crossbars located close to the apex of the angle formed by the shoulder and the margin oi the sole and their legs inclined inwardly from the margin o the sole and anchored within the sole by curvature thereof in paths leading away from each other without penetrating into the inside channel.

16. A shoe having its upper fastened to a shouldered sole having an inside channel by astenings extending through the upper and into the shoulder in directions inclined to the cuter face of the sole and toward said inside channel without penetrating through the sole or into the inside channel.

i7. A shoe having its upper fastened to a shouldered sole having an inside channel by staples extending through the upper and into the shoulder o the sole in directions inclined to the outer face of the sole and toward said inside channel and with the legs of each staple anchored in the body of the sole by deflection of the legs relatively to the crossbar of the staple without penetrating into the inside channel.

OSCAR. L. LAWSON. 

